Protector for telephone-transmitters.



H. VAN HOEVENBERG & R. W. POPE.

PROTECTOR FOR TELEPHONE TRANSMITTERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 17, 1913.

Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

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HENRY VAN HOEVENBERG, OF NORTH ELBA, NEW YORK, AND RALPH W. POPE, 0FELIZl-MBIE'IEl, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS OLE ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM J. SPAIN,OF

NEW YORK, N. Y.

PROTECTOR FOR TELEPHONE-TRANSMITTEBS.

Application filed May 17, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, HENRY VAN HonvnN- BERGand RALPH 7. Porn, citizens of the United States, residing at NorthElba, Essex county, New York, and Elizabetli,Union county, New Jersey,respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments inProtectors for Telephone-Transmitters, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description.

Our invention relates to improvements in locking devices for telephonesand the like, and has for its chief object to provide a device that canbe easily and quickly attached to the mouthpiece of the telephonetransmitter that is in universal use, and which will securely lock aclosure for said mouthpiece and prevent unauthorized use of thetelephone.

The use of telephones by employees in residences, for example, for theirpersonal communications, at times when members of the household areabsent, is often resorted to and in consequence charges for telephoneservices are increased.

It is one of the objects of our invention to provide a comparativelysimple means whereby such unauthorized use of telephones can beprevented, and which will efli'ect a saving to users in telephonecharges to the extent at least of the amount charged for unauthorizedcalls.

A further object of our invention is to provide a device of simpleconstruction for this purpose which can be easily applied to themouthpiece of a telephone and also capable of ready manipulation by anyone having authority.

Referring now to the drawings which accompany and which form a part ofthis specification Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device attachedto the mouthpiece of a telephone transmitter. Fig. 2 is a front view ofthe mouthpiece of a telephone transmitter showing the device attachedand with the lid or cover extended to open position. Fig. 3 is a sideview, in section, showing the device applied to the mouthpiece of atelephone transmitter. Fig.4 is a detail sectional view showing thenovel hinge connection, and other parts in detail. Figs. 5 and 6 showtumbler rings that are employed. Fig. 7 is small ring, adapted to berigidly secured between the tumbler rings.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

Serial No. 768,218.

Similar reference numerals will designate like parts throughout thedetailed description of our device which follows The preferredembodiment of our deviceas shown herein consists of an annularbellshaped body member 10, the interior surface of which conforms to theouter surface of the removable mouthpiece 11 of the ordinary telephonetransmitter 12. To the body member a closure 13 attached to the bodymember and having a locking catch 14, is provided for the mouthpiece ofthe telephone. The body member is somewhat enlarged at its outer end toprovide an annular chamber 15 for the insertion of looking means and forthe reception and rotation of the catch 14 which is secured'to theclosure, and which, upon being rotated in the chamber or recess,operates the locking means to lock and unlock the device as will bereadily understood. This chamber is also adapted to receive a hingemember 21 to be described later. The locking means in the constructionshown consists of a plurality of rings 16, 17, 33 and 18, and arelocated between a shoulder 19 and fixed annular collar 20, which alsorests upon and is secured to a succeeding shoulder 32 above the shoulder19, both of which extend around the annular chamber and serve to preventlongitudinal movement of said locking means. The bottom ring 16 isnonrotatable, extends slightly beyond the edge of the shoulder 19 andoverlaps the hinge member 21 to prevent its removal. The said ring ispreferably secured to the shoulder 19 and is provided with a notch 22therein which is in alinement with the notch 23 in the annular ring orcollar 20. Rings 17 and 18 are revoluble, the former of which isprovided with a lug member 24 which extends outwardly into the path ofthe locking catch 14. This ring is also, provided wit-h an upwardlyextending lug 25 and the other revoluble ring is provided with adownwardly projecting lug 26. Rings 17 and 18 are provided with notches27 and 28 respectively to receive the catch 14 when they are properlyregistered. The lugs 25 and 26' are adapted to contact, upon the ro--tation of the rings, and in this way the ring other rings and collar sothat the device may be locked or unlocked, as the case may be. Betweenthe revoluble rings 17 and 18, a ring 33 is provided for the purpose ofseparating the revoluble rings. This ring 33 is slightly bent, formingfrictional contact with the rings 17 and 18 and at the same time holdsthem in place. It is stationary, and in order to secure the same to thewall of the chamber an inwardly extending lug 34 is provided which fitsinto a notch 35 in the wall of the chamber. In order that there will beno interference with the upwardly and downwardly extending lugs Q and 26upon the revoluble rings 17 and 18, this ring 3-3 is made smaller thanthe rings 17 and 18, and fits inside of the lugs 25 and 26, which areconsequently left free to rotate in the locking and unlockmg operationsof the device.

The extent of rotation of the revoluble rings, in order to bring theirnotches into register, is predetermined and the user of the devicemerely has to know a simple combination of turns which will bring thenotches to the point of registry. For this purpose a series of numbersor other indicating marks are located upon the cover which guides theoperator in manipulating the device, and a suitable indicator 29 marksthe point at which the proper turns are to be begun and-ended. When theclosure or lid is rotated, the catch 14, which had previously beeninserted into the alining notches in the rings, rotates in the annularchamber, the inwardly extending portion of it engaging with the underside of the fixed ring 17 thus preventing the opening of the closure.Upon the revolution of the closure, the catch member contacts with theoutwardly extending lug 241 on the revoluble ring causing it to turn,and, when the upwardly and downwardly extending lugs contact, the otherrevoluble ring is'caused to turn in the same direction thus bringing thenotches of the movable rings out of register with each other and alsoout of register with the notches in the fixed ring 16 and collar 20.This effectually locks the device against unauthorized use and it can beunlocked only by those who are familiar with the combination.

In unlocking the device, in order that the telephone may be used, theoperation is as follows, assuming, for the sake of illustration, thatthe combination is 756: Hold the body of the protector and revolve thecover counterclockwise to the left until two or more revolutions aremade. This brings the catch 14 in contact with the lug 24 on the lowerrevoluble ring and the lugs 25 and 26 are also brought in contact andthe rings 17 and 18 caused to revolve with the cover. This rotation isstopped when the mark opposite the figure 7 is directly opposite theindicator. The notch 28 in ring 18 will now be found to be in alinementneeded to unlock the device. Reversing the direct-ion of revolution ofthe cover at this point leaves the ring 18 in this position, for thelugs 25 and 26 are disengaged, and continuing the rotation in thisreversed direction until the mark opposite the figure 5 has been twicebrought opposite the indicator, the notch in the ring 17 will be foundto be in alinement with the notches in the other tumbler ring andcollar. Again reversing the revolution of the cover and turning the sameslightly until the mark opposite the figure 6 is opposite the indicatorthe catch 14 will be found to be in the path of the alined notches. Avery important feature of the locking device is the means which areemployed for hinging the lid to the body part. -We provide an arc member21 which is adapted to fit and rotate within the previously mentionedannular chamber 15. It is maintained within the chamber by virtue of itslocation between the outer walls thereof and the outer edge of theshoulder 19 and is adapted to move under the portion of the lowertumbler ring which extends beyond the said shoulder. In this Way it iskept securely in place but free to revolve in either direction as thelid is moved in opening or closing the device. From the outer side ofthe hinge supporting member, a connecting flange 30 is extended upwardlyfor securement, as by apintle, to the other member 81 of the hinge, thelatter member being secured to the lower side of the closure. It willtherefore be apparent that the hinge members are practically concealedfrom view and as a necessary consequence the possibilities of tamperingwith the device at this point for fraudulent purposes are exceedinglyremote. The space between the outwardly projecting lug member 24eand theouter wall of the annular chamber 15 is sufficient to permit the flange27 to pass freely without interfering with the said lug 24.

The locking catch which is riveted or otherwise secured to the closureextends downwardly at right angles thereto and its end is turnedinwardly at right angles. When it is inserted through the notches whenin register, rotation of the closure in either direction will bring thecatch under the lower ring, securing the desired locking of the device.

The mouthpieces are usually made separate from their holders and areprovided with screw threads which are adapted to register with screwthreads in the part of the telephone to which they are designed to beattached. In applyingv the locking device, it is merely necessary toremove the mouth-. piece, place it in the body part of the device andscrew the mouthpiece back in place. The cover can then be'brought inplace, and

the use of the telephone is thereafter restricted to those who arefamiliar with the unlocking combination of the particular device. Thebody member is made to fit snugly but not to grip the mouthpiece;consequently the turning of the locking device will not turn themouthpiece and remove it from its useful position.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing it will be observed that the novel form of locking closure fortelephone transmitters which we have originated is one of extremesimplicity, capable of easy manipulation by any one who is apprised ofthe combination and neat in appearance.

An important feature of our invention is that the entire lockingmechanism is normally concealed from view and the only parts visible arethe closure and body member.

The cover with its sliding hinge connection with the body portionrequiring, as it does, no removable parts, such as keys, makes its usevery adaptable for the purpose intended.

It is obvious that many of the parts may be varied in point of detailwithout deviating from the true spirit and scope of the invention asdefined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a locking device for telephone transmitters comprising a bodymember adapted to be placed over the mouthpiece of thetransmitter andprovided with an annular chamber therein, locking means within saidchamber and normally concealed from view, a closure hinged to said bodymember, and a catch on said closure normally projecting into saidchamber and in looking engagement with said locking means.

2. In a locking device for telephone transmitters comprising a bodymember adapted to be placed over the mouthpiece of the transmitter andprovided with an annular chamber therein, a closure having a hingedconnection with said member one of the members of said hinge beingrigidly secured to said cover and the other member being slidablysecured in said chamber, locking means within said chamber and normallyconcealed from view by the said closure, and a catch on said closurenormally projecting into said chamber in locking engagement with saidlocking means.

3. In a locking device for telephone transmitters, a body member adaptedto be placed over the mouthpiece of the transmitter and provided with anannular chamber therein, a closure for the outer end of the mouthpiecehingedly connected to said body member, and locking means for saidclosure comprising one or more tumbler rings carried by said memberlocated in the chamber thereof and revoluble with respect to said memberand a catch carried by the closure and in engagement with said ring orrings, said ring or rings being revoluble by a predetermined rotation ofsaid closure with respect to the said member.

4;. In a locking device for telephones, the combination of a body memberhaving therein an annular chamber, a plurality of tumbler rings in saidchamber having notches therein adapted to be brought into register, acover for said body member, revolubly hinged means in said chamber forconnecting the body member and cover, and a catch on said cover adaptedto engage with one of said rings and revoluble in said chamber to bringthe notches out of register for locking the cover to said body member.

5. In a locking device for telephones, the combination of a body memberhaving therein an annular chamber, a plurality of rings in said chamberhaving notches therein adapted to register, one of the rings beingrigidly secured in position, and the other rings being revoluble so thatthe notches therein can be brought into register with the notch in thepermanently secured ring, a member in said groove and revoluble thereinfor securing the cover in hinged connection to the body part, and acatch carried by the cover and adapted to enter the notches in the ringswhen they are in register, said catch adapted to cooperate with means onthe rings to bring the notches out of register to lock the device.

6. In a locking device for telephones, the combination of a body memberhaving therein an annular chamber, a plurality of tumbler rings in saidchamber having notches therein adapted to register, one of the ringsbeing rigidly secured in position and the other rings being revoluble sothat the notches therein can be brought into register with the notch inthe permanently secured ring, means on one of said tumbler rings formoving the other relative thereto, a lug on one of the revoluble ringsextending outwardly into the annular chamber, a hinge member revolublein said annular chamber and connecting the cover with the body member,and a catch carried by the cover on the underside thereof, adapted toextend downwardly through the notches in the rings, said catch memberengaging the lug member on the ring in its rotation in the annulargroove and rotating the revoluble rings to bring their notches out ofand into position of registry for locking and unlocking the closure tothe body member.

7. In a locking device for telephones, the combination of a body memberhaving therein an annular chamber, a plurality of annular rings in saidchamber having notches therein adapted to register, two of the ringsbeing rigidly secured in position, the other rings being revoluble sothat the notches therein can be brought into register with the notchesin the permanently secured ring, the rigidly secured ring between therevoluble rings being of less diameter than the revoluble rings topermit the free movement of the lugs on the revoluble rings, and adaptedto engage frictionally with and to retain the and connecting the coverwith the body mem her, and a catch carried by the cover on the undersidethereof, adapted to extend clownwardly through the notches in the ringswhen in register into the annular groove and adapted to revolve in theannular groove when the parts are rotated, said catch mem ber adapted toengage with the outwardly extending member to rotate the movable ringsto bring the notches therein out of and into position of registry.

8. In a locking device for the mouthpiece of telephone transmitters andsimilar openings, comprising a body member adapted to be placed oversuch mouthpiece or opening, locking means carried by the said bodymember adapted to be unlocked only by the holder of its key orcombination, a closure revolubly hinged to said body member forexcluding sound waves from said opening, and a catch in said closurecoacting with said locking means and normally in locking engagementtherewith.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

HENRY VAN HOEVENBERG. RALPH W. POPE. Witnesses:

THonAs J. BYRNE, WILLIAM P. J OHNSON.

' Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

